Hurricane Charley’s Sushi, Raw Bar & Grill in Punta Gorda to be demolished

An Iconic Punta Gorda Restaurant named after a hurricane that slammed the area two decades ago will be demolished along with the Punta Gorda Waterfront Hotel.

The code enforcement board voted for the building, which adjoins Hurricane Charley’s Sushi, Raw Bar & Grill to be demolished after the building was deemed unsafe back in September following Hurricane Ian.

City officials said problems with the paperwork will push back the project a few weeks after a demo permit for the Punta Gorda Waterfront Hotel was returned. A new permit should be ready in the next 30 days.

Mandatory fences will go up in three weeks around the hotel and the restaurant near the Harborwalk.

The five-story hotel has been boarded up. Emergency services have received multiple calls for people climbing up to the second story, breaking windows, along with other problematic behavior.

There were other code compliance issues, including parking, loading nuisance, storage and tall grass.